LOS ANGELES — It's become a near-annual tradition.

The Rams report to training camp with quarterback Matthew Stafford's status somewhat uncertain.

Stafford, entering his 17th season, will be held out of workouts this week because of back soreness, coach Sean McVay announced Tuesday at Loyola Marymount. McVay added that Stafford would be eased back into practices during the second block of workouts and said he's confident Stafford would be ready for the season.

"If he was a first-year player, then I think you'd say, 'Man, every rep really matters,' " McVay said. "I think the important thing is having a big-picture perspective with a guy going into Year 17."

This is the third time in four years that a Stafford situation was cause for concern as the Rams reported for camp.

In 2022, after leading the Rams to a Super Bowl title, Stafford received an injection in his right elbow and did not throw during offseason workouts. He was limited during training camp but was ready for the season. Stafford, however, sustained a concussion and then a midseason spinal injury that sidelined him for the final seven games as the injury-ravaged Rams suffered through the worst Super Bowl hangover in NFL history.

Last year, McVay anxiously pushed back his camp-opening news conference several hours while awaiting Stafford's delayed arrival because of a contract impasse that had been lingering the entire offseason. The issue was then quickly resolved, and Stafford went on to lead the Rams to the NFC divisional round.

During the spring, the Rams and Stafford resolved another contract issue. Stafford, 37, will carry a salary-cap number of $47.5 million this season, according to Overthecap.com.

The completed negotiation seemingly paved the way for a worry-free start to training camp and the run-up to the Rams' Sept. 7 opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium.

And now?

McVay said Tuesday that the Rams had planned to take a "modified approach" with Stafford before the back issue came to light.

"We'll allow him to just work kind of off to the side on his own, get himself as good as possible and then he'll be ready for Block 2," McVay said.

During Stafford's absence from on-field work, 11-year veteran Jimmy Garoppolo will take first-team snaps. Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn are other quarterbacks on the roster.

"When you have a quality player like Jimmy that can step in," McVay said, "now you don't feel like the team is totally punished either."

Stafford is not the only returning starter who will be limited or sidelined.

Left tackle Alaric Jackson is out indefinitely because of blood clot issues. The Rams signed veteran DJ Humphries to fill the void.

"We are going to take it a day at a time with something of this nature," McVay said of Jackson, who during the offseason signed a three-year contract that included $35 million in guarantees. "I do feel good about the plan we have in place that hopefully leads to him being able to go out there and compete with his teammates."

Running back Kyren Williams said he would be a full participant in workouts as agent Drew Rosenhaus and the Rams continue contract extension negotiations. Williams, a 2022 fifth-round draft pick out of Notre Dame, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is scheduled to earn $5.3 million, according to Overthecap.com.

Williams said it was a "no-brainer" to fully participate in training camp.

"For me, it's a lot bigger than a contract negotiation," Williams said. "To me, it's putting my feet on the ground and continuing to get better. ... Because I've got people I've got to take care of, putting my feet on the grass is the only way I know how to do that."

The Rams are scheduled to meet Rosenhaus on Wednesday, McVay said.

Williams, who will turn 25 in August, became a starter early in the 2023 season. He rushed for 1,144 yards and scored 15 touchdowns en route to making the Pro Bowl.

Last season, Williams rushed for 1,299 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.

"The ultimate goal in mind is for him to get under contract and finding that sweet spot that fits for that puzzle that we're trying to piece together as a team and what represents his value for the production and what he means to us," McVay said. "Those can sometimes be challenging things."

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